The Samahan ng Ex-Detainees Laban sa Detensyon at Aresto (SELDA), an organization of former political prisoners, asserts that the Marcos family’s unpaid ₱203-billion estate tax remains the clearest symbol of entrenched impunity in the country. This comes in light of the Bureau of Internal Revenue’s (BIR) recent filing of tax evasion charges against former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) engineers.
“More than three decades after the Supreme Court ruled that these liabilities are final and executory, the BIR has yet to collect the said amount from the Marcoses,” said Bonifacio Ilagan, SELDA spokesperson. “If the fight against corruption is to mean anything, then everyone involved must be held to account, without exception. Let this be a reminder that the most powerful tax evader sits in Malacañang, shielded from accountability. Why can’t the BIR go after them with the same determination it shows against those in the lower ranks, or even ordinary citizens?”
The BIR recently filed tax evasion cases against former DPWH engineers Henry Alcantara, Brice Hernandez, and JP Mendoza, who allegedly failed to pay more than ₱1.6 billion in taxes from “ghost flood-control projects.” While SELDA supports efforts to hold corrupt officials accountable, the group emphasizes that true justice demands consistency, the law must be applied equally, whether against DPWH engineers or the ruling Marcos family itself.
“When those in power refuse to pay what they owe, it is not just a matter of privilege. It is stealing from the Filipino people,” Ilagan stressed. “The ₱203 billion owed by the Marcos family could have funded relief and rehabilitation for communities devastated by disasters or supported social services that millions urgently need, especially now that we’re in the middle of calamities. Yet these funds remain uncollected, while corrupt officials continue to plunder public money meant for the people’s welfare.”
Reports that the DPWH engineers used casinos to launder kickbacks reveal the same pattern of greed and entitlement that has long defined political corruption in the Philippines. SELDA stresses that such issues will definitely thrive in a rotten system where people in power are untouchables and are not held accountable for their actions.
SELDA asserts that the government’s inability to act timely on the Marcos estate tax has emboldened public officials, believing they can escape justice. If the BIR and the government are truly serious about fighting corruption, they should “start from the top” and demand the Marcos family pay for their tax liabilities the soonest.
“The Filipino people deserve a government that does not bow to plunderers, tax evaders, and corrupt officials who mock the sacrifices of ordinary citizens who diligently pay their taxes,” Ilagan concluded.